Footometer



J. M. HISS FOOIOMETER Sept. 11, 1934.

I Fild June 9, 1931 M77 A'iTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE The invention relates to improvements in footometers, primarily to taking various measurements of the foot, preeminently for classifying the foot to guide for shoe fitting pref- 'erably according :to a particular system developed to enable a shoe dealer to fit commercially made shoes scientifically and correctly to the needs of the classes and types of feet and to appropriately condition the shoe when necessary, as by stretching, padding, wedging, etc. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a foot ometer or foot measuring device to make cerv tain calculations of the foot and particularly to determine length and width of the foot, how much the foot lengthens on standing, whether" the foot is in or out of line and degreesout of line and whether out of line due to bone deform- .ity or ligament weakness for the purpose of classifying feet incidental to shoe fitting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a footometer adapted for taking general measurements of the foot for shoe fitting, in addition to determining whether and to what extent the footis out of line', due either to bone deformity (structural eversion) or ligament weakness (functional eversion) and therefrom to cal culate the approximate point where the ,weight I bearing is focused relative to the triangle of ba1- ance in the foot and relative to the inner spring arch and outer weight bearing arch of the foot Another. object of the invention is to provide a footometer with a swinging gauge bar adapted to be engaged by the foot at a point of the protruding bone (scaphoid bone) on the inner.

side of the foot immediately in front er the ankle bone for moving the gauge bar,. wh en weight is brought on the foot by the person standing, to determine the degree the foot is out of line'due to ligament weakness.

Another object of the invention is to provide. a footometer with a swinging gauge bar adjust able to bring its pivoted end or'foot bearing structure having a platen upon which both feet i are stationed, with its top surface bearing, or

foot measurements and chart diagrams and movmarked'with, scales or graduations for various;

able gauge bars or members mounted upon the platen serving either for one or both feet.

Other features and advantages of the invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the footometer.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3-3, Figure 2, showing the forward end of the small pointer carriage, which is mounted upon the large pointer shown in cross section. V

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rear sliding ball-heel length gauge.

Referring to the drawing 1 indicates a cast or stamped metal platen adapting each foot to be individually stationed and appropriately positioned thereon for measurement. The top surface of the platen is marked with diagrams and various scales or graduationsand provided with movable gauging members, respectively for the different graduations, to engage the feet for taking the measurements, and for classifying.

The rear of the platen has an upstanding margin or flange 2, shaped to form a pair of sockets or-heel rests into which the heels of the feet are respectively engaged and the sockets divided by a central block 3 integral with the platen-and flange, as a stop or rest against which the inner side ofthe heel is snugly fitted for properly positioning and lining up the foot for measurement and classification. The foot is brought back against the wall of the socket or flange 2,.with the inner side of the heel bearing against the heel block3 and the fore part of the foot 'alignedas naturally as possible with a Iongitudinal base line marked on the platen with the ball of foot resting on inner side against the sliding ball-heel length gauge. p

The platen centrally and longitudinally is grooved from the heel block to the forward end of the platenproviding a guideway 4, for guidingly sliding a toe-heel gauge or cross bar, 5 and a sliding ball-heel gauge block or followers 6 in rearof the toe-heel gauge bar 5. The platen at opposite sides of the groove or guideway 4 and parallel therewith is marked with graduationsfor foot or shoe length measurements both ball-heel and toe-heel.

, To theright of the groove are graduations 8 ;for toe-heel measure to be determined by noting the position of toe-bar, 5 when it is properly positioned againstthe end of the great toe, the rear edge of the toe bar being the indicator. To the left of the groove are graduations 8a for the ball-heel measure to be determined by noting the position of the ball-heel gauge block 6, when it is properly positioned against the inner side of ball, the forward edge being used as an indicator.

It is preferable to take length measurements at two periods, one without the foot bearing Weight while the person is seated and the second with the foot bearing weight while the person is standing, as the foot will usually lengthen when bearing weight in the standing posture of the person. Thus for a length measurement, with the heel of the foot properly in the heel socket of the platen, and the person seated, the

foot is lined up as naturally as possible with a longitudinal base line 7 alongside of the length graduation 8, a base line being provided on the platen for each foot. The toe-heel gauge bar 5 is then adjusted against the great toe and the ball-heel gauge block or follower 6 is adjusted to bear against the inner side of the ball of the foot. The person is then directed to stand and the lengthening of the foot under weight will move the toe-heel gauge bar 5 and the ball-heel gauge block 6. The difference between the readings when personis seated and when standing will give how much the foot lengthens under Weight bearing, and the length of shoe needed.

An elongated pointer 9 is pivotally mounted at its rear end upon the heel block 3 and in its normal position lies centrally of the platen, adapted to be locked against swing by engage ment into a notch 10, centrally in the top edge 'of the toe-heel gauge bar 5. The front end of the pointer is shaped to provide an indicator point 11 and as the pointer is swung to either the right or left, the indicator moves over scales or graduations 12, 12 set in the arc of the indicator, and are designated eversion scales.

"-son is seated, and additional eversion due to The scales 12, 12 for right and left foot readings are disposed at relative opposite sides of the center of the platen and each at a side op-' posite to the station of the foot for which the reading is used, necessitated in that the swing of the pointer 9 is outwardly from the base line and from the inner side of the foot for which the measurement is taken. The scales 12, 12 will give bone deformity eversion when the perligament weakness when the person is standing.

A pair of smaller length pointers or gauge arms 13, 13 respectively for right and left foot, and at relatively opposite sides of the long pointer 9 are individually pivotally mounted bar for engaging against the inner side of the upon a carrier or follower 14, slidably supported on the long pointer. Each short pointer 13 has atransverse bar 15 at its outer side and slightly inclined from the vertical serving as a bumper foot. The carrier or follower 14 with its pair of pointers as a unit is adjusted upon the long pointer 9 until the transverse gauging bar or edge 14, one being provided for each side of the carrier, is immediately in front of the ankle determine accurately the bone deformity as the protruding joints will often throw the calculation off when the longer pointer is used for bone deformity.

The front or indicator end of the small pointer 13 swings over a scale or graduations 16 on the platen, designated bone scale. The graduation lines are of extended length to accommodate for the adjustment of the short pointer to facilitate in reading.

This measurement is taken when the person is seated, and without the 'Weight of the body onthe foot, and the foot does not align with the. base line 7 curving outward or is everted, the outward curving or eversion being due to ,bone deformity. That is, the individual bones of thefootare so deformed that the entire foot assumes'an outward curved appearance when the person is'not standing.

With the persons foot in position, with the heel against rear flange 2 and central block 3, and the ball of foot against ball-heel gauge block 6, we are ready to make calculations on tread of foot by determining outward curving or eversion. If the foot is in perfect align ment, it will not rollover against the carrier or follower 14, andtherefore will not move the elongated pointer 9.. However, if the foot is curved or everted, the protruding bone (scaphoid) on the inner side of the foot will push the elongated pointer 9 over by its'contact with the carrier or follower 14, and the indicator point 11, will show the degrees of such eversion on scale 12, 12. The reading thus obtained while" the person is seated (no,

weight-bearing) represents the amount of eversion or curving of foot :due to deformity in the bones. moving the foot) if the foot rolls'inward, the elongated pointer 9 will bepushed over still further, and this additional amount shown on the scale 12, 12 will represent eversion due to ligament weakness. The combined readings represent total eversion.

The most common type of eversion is the combination of both'bone deformity and ligament weakness. Thus by taking the reading of long pointer, while the person is seated, and again while the person is standing, and by certain calculations a digit can be obtained for reference use in connection with a scale 17, as diagrammed within a foot imprint 18, etched into the platen, in exemplificatlon of a chart, geometrically prepared and to befollowed in the fulluse of the footometer.

The graduation marks of the scale 17 are along a line extending perpendicular to the base line of a triangle, platted in relation to the foot diagram or imprint, with the perpendicular or scale line bisecting the apex of the triangle. Thetriangle is lined from points of the foot outline, one at the innermost edge opposite the ball of the foot, a second at the outermost part opposite the arch of the foot at the base of the fifth metatarsalv bone and a third atthe innerthe inner spring arch and the other the 'outer' weight bearing archfand the scale 17 relatively Then when person stands (without ion indicating the degrees of eversion of approximate points where weight bearing is focused.

The foot imprint, also contains a dotted cross line 20, disclosing the points at which width measurements or calculations are to be made.

The base width scale 17 of the foot imprint on the platen device is normally referred to by the operator to determine approximately where the weight bearing is focused and serves as a guide for making a lay-out corresponding to the imprint, for a particular foot measurement which can be pencilled on the platen after marking the measuring points.

A measuring bar 21 for foot or shoe width, is slidably mounted on the toe-bar 5, serving for both right and left foot, and the head end of the bar is provided, centrally, with a pointer 22, for moving over the scale markings 2323, at the opposite forward corners of the platen. The markings primarily constituting parallel lines with shoe and last width denoting characters. The length of the scale lines accom- ,modate for the range of toe-heel length gauge bar adjustment. The reading characters for the ball width scale are omitted from the drawing and upon the device are die-stamped into the platen at definite points along the lines for a necessary measuring range, the scale lines being at an angle each line at definite points serves for several different readings. The member 21 is used for the purpose of measuring the ball width in connection with the scale 23 which in the device comprises indicia suitably marked at various points along the lines, the lines being at an angle will serve at various points for different width measurements. The foot imprint with the triangle ordinarily serves for the user to approximate the point where weight bearing is focused, and it is not relied upon for accurately scaling each foot but merely as a guide. In other words, the user, say for example, would note that the pointer 9, in measuring a foot with the person seated, would have a reading of 5 and when standing an additional reading of 5, the adding of these figures giving a total of 10 total eversion. Upon reference to the base width line (scale 17) in the foot imprint scale for the number 10 would immediately give the user an approximate point where the weight is being focused. This in most instances would be sumcient for him in fitting a shoe, and therefore would not necessitate a particular lay-out for each foot as he could readily determine the approximate degree of deformity which is sufficient for general shoe fitting.

The bone and ligament scales provide means for a shoe fitter to quickly determine whether the foot is out of line and to what degree; this with the results of the other measurements obtainable in the use of the machine forms a basis for foot classification, in conformity to a particular system of foot classification and technology, developed upon scientific principles under orthopedic research and practice. The technical information having been reduced, charted and compiled into a manual for shoe fitting purposes, to be readily comprehensible by the layman shoe dealer. A ready reference or guide to be used in conjunction with the foot measurements as a key, obtained by the use of the footometer, in addition to directions for observance of foot and questionnaire information catalogued so that one can quickly determine the class or type of foot, the peculiarities in a normal foot, or the pathological conditions in an abnormal foot, as well as the shoe fitting problems peculiar to the type or class of foot. The fitter can then make a judicious selection of shoe from the sizes and styles of commercial made shoes as carried by the dealer, and most appropriate for the particular needs and to make such adjustments to the shoe, as padding, stretching, wedging, etc., in a more scientific manner, beneficial and helpful to the foot and comfort to the wearer of the shoe.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a foot measuring device, a platen on which a pair of feet are stationed one at a time having rigid heel rests for the feet, a gauge bar pivoted to and extending from the heel 2. In a foot measuring device, a platen on which a foot is stationed, a gauge bar pivotally mounted on the platen and extending substantially longitudinally thereof and a follower movable on the gauge bar for spotting relative to a determined bone protruding from the inner side of the foot and providing a point of engagement of the bar with the foot adapting the bar to be moved from its central position by the pressure of the foot when weight bearing, and means for locking the bar.

3. In a foot measuring device, a platen on which a foot is stationed, a gauge bar pivotally mounted on the platen and extending substantially longitudinally centrally thereof and a follower movable on the gauge bar for spotting relative to a determined bone protruding from the inner side of the foot and providing a point of engagement of the bar with the foot adapting the bar to be moved from its central position by the pressure of the foot when weight bearing, means for locking the bar, and a gauge arm mounted upon the follower to swing and bear against the inner side of the foot.

4:. In a foot measuring device, a platen on which a pair of feet may be stationed side by side, a gauge bar pivotally mounted on the platen and extending substantially longitudinally thereof and centrally between the two foot stations, a follower movable on the gauge bar for spotting relative to a determined bone protruding from the inner sides of the feet and provide points of engagement of the bar respectively with the feet and adapted to be moved from its central position by the pressure of one of the feet when weight bearing, and a pair of gauge arms mounted upon said follower respectively at opposite sides of the gauge bar, each adapted to swing and bear against the inner side of a relative foot forward of the point of foot engagement of the follower.

JOHN MARTIN HISS. 

